Improved refrigerating oyster-can



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ALFRED BOOTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED REFRIGERATING OYSTER-CAN.

' Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 103,551, dated May31, 1870.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED BOOTH, of Chicago, in the county of YCook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Refrigerating-Can forOysters and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto which my invention appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my irnproved transporting-can. Fig. 2is a-transverse section of the same in the line :v w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa bottom-plan view of the cover of the ice-chamber.

Similar` letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide a sheet-metal can in whichlarge quantities of oysters shall be preserved in a perfectly-freshcondition during transportation from the seacoast to the interior of thecountry, and, after arrival, until retailed or canned in smallquantities for consumption.

To this end the invention consists, primarily, in a sheet-metal can oflarge capacity, so constructed that one or more ice-chambers are formedin its body to separate the bulk of thel oysters and form two or morecooling-surfaces for the same.

In the accompanying drawing', A is a sheetmetal can, of suflicient sizeto contain several gallons of oysters. In one side ofthe can, extendingfroin the top to the bottom, or from side to side, is formed arectangular chamber, B. After the can has been filled with oystersthrough the opening C in its top the latter is closed and the chamber Bpacked with ice, as shown in Fig. 2. The ice-chamber is closed by acover, D, faced upon its under surface with a sheet, E, of cork or othersuitable materia-l. The edges of the cork fit with close contact againstthe walls of the ice-chamber, to prevent the escape of moisture and thee11- trance of air to melt the ice.

By my invention it will be seen that an icechamber is formed through thebody of the I can, by which the bulk of the oysters is separated, andwhich forms three cooling-surfaces for the latter between the separatedparts.

If desired, a second ice-chamber may be formed across the can at rightangles to the chamber B, or two or more chambers may be formed parallelto each other longitudinally or transversely of the can.

A still further modification consists in removing the bottom F of theice chamber and extending the side walls G to the rear or back plate H.In this modification a double can is formed, in effect, upon a singlebackplate, with an ice-chamber between them, and must both be providedwith an opening or mouth, C, for the introduction of oysters. Instead ofextending the ice-chambers through the body of the can parallel to itssides, they may be arranged diagonally across the can, or in anirregular form, with the same effect.

My improved refrigerating-can not only admits of the transportation oflarge quantities of oysters in a perfectly-fresh condition, butpreserves their freshness after they have reached their destination anduntil they are disposed of in small quantities for consumption.

If desired, the end walls of the ice-chamber may be perforated orslotted, as shown at O, Fig. l, to permit the escape of water from themelted ice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The sheet-metal refrigerating-can for oysters in bulk, so constructedthat one or more ice-chambers are formed in its body to separate thebulk of the oysters and form two or more cooling-surfaces for the same,as herein described, for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the sheet-metal refrigerating-can, the cork-linedcover D, substantially as described, for the purpose specied.

A. BOOTH.

Witnesses:

G. H. FRosT, D. I. POWERS.

